Float valve



April 23, 1929.

L. F. DEFEN BUGH v FLOAT VALVE original Filed June 12. 1925 All 2 i im VT o n, ,f i, i 2 D Z ab. A/u, .aw 2 Z C? MMM i Patented 'Apr'. 23,

UNITED, STATES PATENT oFFICE.

LIOYD F. DEFENBAUGH, QF COMPTON, CALIFORNIA.

:FLOAT` VALVE.

Application :tiled June 1 2, 1925', Serial No. 36,679. vRenewed February 13, 1929.

' This invention relates to improvements in float valves for drill pipes in drilling wells by means of a so-called rotary drilling outt. 1n drilling deep wells the drill pipe 5 must necessarily be pulled from the well hole from time to time to replace the drill o'r cutter. In such wellsas are 4,000 4or 5,000 feet deep, a'4,000 or 5,000 foot length of pipe has a considerable Weight. In lowering the 10. pipe into a well hole, this weight would necessarily be sustained unless some provision were made for relieving the weight of the load carried by the derrick. Such provisions have heretofore lbeen made by providing an upwardly closed check valvel on the drill pipe somewhere adjacent its bottom so that as the drill pipe is lowered into a well hole. which is filled with mud or water, the l'luid within the Well LJ hole will not enter the pipe, but will be-kept out by the check valve, so that as the pipe is lowered, it will tend to float in the well hole and thus 'relieve the weight upon the derrick. Heretofore several typesof check valves for drill pipes have been provided, `some of which have been fairlysatisfactory, and others of which have been quite disad- 'vantageous Many of these vcheck valves when mounted upon its drill pipe reduces the size of passage through which thecirculation fluid must pass after the drill pipe has been lowered4 and the drilling operations have been begun. Other types 4of check valves provide bends in the passages through which the fluidv must be forced; and as the fluid used for circulation carries sand`grit and the like, the sand quickly cuts away the valve structure, so that it must frequently through the drill pipe, puttingl an additionalv load `upon the mud pumps or circulation pumps which force the circulation fluid downwardly through the drill pipe.

An object of this invention is to overcome many of these disadvantages. The improved float valve for' drill pipes is so conby the drilling derrick,'

provlde a construction be replaced. Furthermore, those float valves structed that a straightv continuous passage is provided through which the fluid may be forced, so that the additional friction proby the valve will be practically neg- 1g1 e.

A' further object of this invention is topro- 55 vide an improved float valve for drill pipes which is so constructed that it will not be easily cut or worn by the sand or grit in the circulation fluid. v

Another object of this invention is to having a float valve for drill pipes in which the passage, through which the circulation fluid is forced, will be as large as possible, so that if chunks of rubber and other foreign material, which may be carried by the circulation fluid, encounter the valve,

they will not become lodged adjacentit, so asv to hamper its operation and restrict they flow therethrough.

' With the foregoing view which will be made manifest in the .following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, ref-` erence is had to the accompanying drawings for an yillustrative embodiment 'of the 75 invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical portion. of a drill pipe showing the improved valve in applied position and in closed position, l

Fig. 2 is a view-similar to Fig. 1, showing the valve in open position,

' Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the valve taken substantially in the direction of the arrow 3 upon Fig. 1, and` a5 'Fig." 4 is a side elevation of the valve taken in the direction of the arrow 4 upon Fig. 3.

Referring to the accompanying drawings section through a fwlierein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the drill tube or drill pipe is shown as formed of sections of drill pipe, indicated at 10. The Couventional construction of these drill pipe sec,- tions is such that the ends of each section are upset, as indicatedat 11, to provide a thickened portion, upon which the threads are cut. lOn'the lower ends of the sections and other objects in70 there are mounted the pin sections 12 of tool joints, having pins 13 which are tapered and which-are provided with tapered threads 14. The box sections of the tool joints are indicated at 15, which are mounted upon the upper ends of the sections 1() and which are provided with boxes 15 of the tool joint. A tube 23 is mounted upon the bottom of the sub 17 and'is so arranged as to form a continuation of the bore 20 downwardly through the box section 15. This tube vis of such a length that its lower end extends into the interior of the subjacent pipe sectionvlO below its upsetupper end 11'. The lower end of the tube 23 is beveled-olf, as indicated at 24. A flat plate 25, constituting a closure plate, has formed integral therewith, or may have otherwise secured thereto, a pair of arms 26 adapted toA bepositioned upon opposite sides of the ltube 23'.and to be pivotally secured thereto as by screws 27. This plate is so arranged that. it is capable of seating against the beveled surface on the lower end of the tube 23. Furthermore, its center :of gravity is so arranged that it will normally swing i into closed or seating position.

The operation of the device is'as follows:

- Vhen .the drill tubehavingthe improved float valve applied thereto is lowered into -a well hole, the closure plate will swing I into its normal closed position, preventing fiuid within the well fromflowing upwardly into the tube 23. After the drill tube has vbeen lowered into position to resume drillmg operations, circulation fiuid can be forced downwardly 'within the drill tube by the circulation pumps. The pressure of the circulation fluid will force the plate 25 from the4 position shown in Fig. 1 to the posij tion shown yin Fig. 2.. vIn. this position it A has its lower end completely open,

' through the pin section 12, the sub 17, thebox .sectiony 15 and the tube 23, so ,that the friction of the circulation iiuid is practically will bevreadily appreciated that the tube'23 and that it is'a straight continuous passage without bends and which'has substantially the same .interior diameter throughout, extending negligible, throwing no additional load upon the circulation pump. By extendmg the tube 23 downwardly into the interior 'of the sub-` jacent section .10 below the upsetll, suffi.-

cient room is provided topermit the valve plate 25 to be moved into suehposition that 17 or either of the tool joint sections.

The advantage of the device therefore re-r sldes particularly in locating the valve within the interior of a drill pipe section" -where there is sufficient room to allow it to completely open. Although the valve is preferably em odied upon the sub 17, it is not necessarily so constructed. The sub 17 is preferably employed so that the drill crew in pulllng and lowering the drillV pipe can determine from the exterior' of the sections of drill pipe on which stand of pipe the valve is located. The sub 17 is preferably employed for thel reason that exterior markings on the drill pipe to indicate "on which stand the valve is located are )usually unsatisfactory. It will be further noted that by the constructionof the valve, here is very little wear caused by the sand land grit in thecirculation fluid? It is,-of course, appreciated that -some wear will occur and that the. valve may have to be replaced from time to time. Although the valve may have to be replaced, -the wear upon the lvalve is much lessl than in other valves heretofore employed. In order to facilitate the replacement of the valve, the lower endof vthe-tube 23 is detachable as indicated by threads 28, so that the lower'end of the .tube 23 together with the valve can be removed and anew valve substituted for. it.

drill pipes is'provided, which will-n t'increase the load upon the circulation or mud pumps, which provides a straight continuous passage at the valve, reducing cutting bythe sand and grit in the circulation fluid and which I large passage at the valve which can be completely opened, through which the eirculation fluid can be'forced.

A characteristic feature of my float valve construction is in the manner of mountin the plate 25 whereby the arms 26, connecte to the pin 27, and the particular position of the pin in substantially thecenter of the tube cause the center of gravity of the plate and the arms to 'be-on one side of the pivot and thereby the weight of the plate and the arms causes the plate normally to swing into a self closing position against the lower beveled edge o the tube. Asthe normal -tendency of this plate is to close or partly close, it is in a position, substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, on the downward movement of the drill pipe so that any relative up-flowing liquid will positively seat the plate and causel a positive closure ofthe tube 23..

Where in is so constructed as to permit t the specification and claims I designate that the valve is selfclosing,

does not necessarily'mean that my'invention a liquid will bear against the valve structure and close same it would be the equivalent of my invention, as set forth in the dey scription, drawings and claims.

It will be understood that various Changes in the detail of construction may bemade without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as delin'ed by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a drill pipe composed of drill pipe' sections, a sub adapted to be mounted between thel adjacent ends of two adjacent drill pipe sections, a vertical tube secured to the sub and extending downwardly therefrom into the' interior of the next subjacent drill pipe section, and an upwardly substantiallyself closing check valve mounted upon said tube and disposed within .the subjacent drill pipe section.

2.- In al drill pipe composed of drill pipe sections, a sub adapted to be mounted between the adjacent ends of two adjacent drill pipe sect1ons, a vertical tube secured to the sub and extending downwardly therefrom into the interior of the next subjacent drill pipe section, and an upwardly substantially self closing check valve mounted upon said tube and-disposed within the subjacent drill pipe section below thefupset uponits upper end.

' 3. In a drill pipe composed of pipe sections, means for connecting the adjacentends of two pipe sections together, said means -having 4a passage formed' therethrough, a vertical tubeforming a continuation'of said passage downwardly into the interior of the subjacent pipe section, andan upwardly substantially self closing check vakive mounted upon the lower end of said tue. i

4. InV a drill pipe composed of pipe sections, neans for connecting the adjacent ends .of `two pipe sections together, said means having 'aQ passage formed therethrough, a vertical tube forming a-continuv ation of saidpassage; downwardly into the eled interior of the subjacent pipe section, said tube having its lower end beveled oil", 'and a substantially-selfclosing closure pivoted to said tube adapted 'to seat againstsaid bevend.

5. In a drill pipe composed of pipe sections, means for connecting the adjacent .ends of two 'pipe sections together, said means having a passage formed therethrough, a tube forming a continuation of said passage downwardlyl into the interior of the subjacent pi e section, said 'tube having its lower end eveled off, and a plate having arms pivoted to the'sides ofthe tube,

ltical tubesecured to the the adjacent ends of two adjacent pipe secmeans having a passage lformed thcrethrough, a tube forming a continuation of Vsaid passage downwardly into the linterior of the subjacent pipe section, said tube having Vits lower end beveled off, and a plate having arms pivoted to the tube, said plate being so arranged that from its own-weight it will normally tend to seat against vthe bev#y eled end of said tube so as 4to close it against upward flow of fluid therethrough'.

7. yA float valveadapted to be applied to drill pipe comprising a sub adapted to Abe appliedbetween the tool joint sections upon the adjacent ends of two adjacent pipesections, said sub having a bore therethrough? a` vertical tube secured to the sub forming a continuation of'said bore extending therefrom a sufficient distance so as to have its end positioned within the interior of a subjacent pipe section, and a substantially self closing check valve mounted upon said tube adapted toprevent upward flow therethrough.

8. A float valve adapted-to be applied to' drill pipe comprising a sub adapted to be applied between the tool joint sections upon the' adjacent ends of two adjacent pipe sections, said sub having a bore therethrough, a versub forming a continuation. of said bore extending downwardly therefrom a sufficient distance soy as to have its lower end positioned withiny tlie interior of the subjacent pipe section, 'said tube having its lowerend beveled olf, and a plate pivoted to the tube, said plate being adapted to seat and being substantially self closing against the beveled end of said tube to prevent upward'flow therethrough.

9. A float valve adapted to be applied to -drill pipe comprising a sub adapted to be joint sections upon applied between the tool adjacent pipe secthe adjacent ends of two tions, said sub having a vertical tube secured to the sub forming a continuation of said bore extending down- `wardly therefrom a suilicientdis-tance so as to prevent upward flow therethrough, the

portion of the tube carried by the plate being detachable as and -for the purpose described.

10.,"A float valve adapted to be applied a bore therethrough,

to drill pipe comprising a sub adapted to be applied between the tool joint sections upon tions, said subv having a .bore therethrough, having arms which are pivotally connected 10 a tube secured to the sub formin a continuto the sides of the tube, whereby the plate ation. of said bore extending ownwardly from its own weight will naturallytend to therefrom a.V sufficient distance so as to have seat'u on the tube and prevent upward flow 5 its .lower end-positioned within the interior theret rough.

of the. s'ubjacent drill pipe section below its l In testimony whereof I have signed '-15 upset, said tube having itslowerend beveled vname to this specification. p

oif, and. a. plate adaptedto...seat upon the v beveledlower end ofv the tube,`sa1d plate LOYD F. DEFENBAUGH. v 

